


Meant to Be

by stubbornrhino



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst and Tragedy, Blood and Violence, Domestic Violence, Emotional Manipulation, M/M, Mental Abuse, Mental Health Issues, Murder, Physical Abuse, Suicide, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:27:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27302644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stubbornrhino/pseuds/stubbornrhino
Summary: Sehun wished he could describe their love story as the one that was written in stars; instead it was a tale of secrets and fear and a constant cloud of paranoia.
Relationships: Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Park Chanyeol, Kim Junmyeon | Suho/Oh Sehun
Comments: 11
Kudos: 33
Collections: Round 2: SeHo in a Song





	Meant to Be

**Author's Note:**

> _Submitted for prompt #10._  
> 
> 
> _Song Title/Artist: Basick, INKII- In The Illusion (W: The Two World’s ost)_
> 
>   
>  _Song Line: Whether it’s a dream or reality  
>  I don’t care anymore  
> Wherever I go, I’m with you  
> I don’t need anything else but you _
> 
>   
>  **Please check the author's note at the end for important details.**

Chanyeol’s phone pinged with an incoming message. He ignored it and slurped his noodles. But then on the second thought, he dropped his chopsticks in the bowl and unlocked his phone. He wasn’t expecting anyone...well....it’s not like he had anyone to expect so the ping did lure him away from his meal.

He hesitated before clicking on the notification. The number was familiar. He didn’t know what Kyungsoo wanted from him. He had nothing to give anyways. He had made that clear a few days ago in the hospital. After contemplating for a while, worrying his lip with his teeth, he braced himself and opened the message.

He stared at the words, reading but not registering. He locked his phone and put it face down on the table, resuming his meal.

A couple of slurps in and that’s when he realized his cheeks were wet. Before his tears could land in his bowl, he wiped them off on his shoulder and managed to finish his meal. He went to the sink, washed the utensils, dried them with a dishtowel, and kept the bowl in the shelf, chopsticks in the drawer. The tupperware of the radish kimchi went into the fridge below the mini tubs of yogurts and above the vegetables. Then he went straight towards the wine cooler pulling out whatever his hands first touched.

After sitting on the floor he didn’t bother to pour the liquor into a glass, he reckoned drinking straight from the bottle would get him drunk sooner. Half bottle in and Chanyeol broke down.

He lost his best friend once and for all today. He was happy, over the moon. The relief he felt after reading the message was momentary and soon was overshadowed by the immense anguish and loss. They had such big plans....to go see places, to meet new people, to work and have families. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Their dreams seemed so far away, he couldn’t remember them clearly anymore.

He closed his eyes. The words imprinted on the back of his eyelids.

 **[** _Chanyeol, This is Kyungsoo. Sehun passed away last night. We are holding a funeral for him today. Thought you’d like to know......I wanted you to know. **]** _

**_[_ ** _I know you don’t want anything to do with us anymore but I am...I am hoping to see you there._ **]**

For a moment, he thought of going. As Sehun’s best friend, it was expected of him but then he remembered how he lost Sehun years ago. They were just going to bury the body today. He chose to grieve alone, without the façades, the lies and the drama.

He chuckled bitterly at the thought of Kyungsoo finally gathering the courage to do something right for once in his life. 

He then made his way through the rest of the bottle steadily thinking of how it all had gone awry in a blink.

**∞**

He stood out of the way as the doctors scrambled around the bed. He watched as the blood dripped down the fingers and onto the floor. He turned away but swore he could hear the dripping blood still. He wanted to vomit.

He stayed away as the deep lesions in both the wrists were patched up by the doctors and the floor was cleaned. Crystal clear, squeaky clean, all white. Like everything was alright, like everything was as it should be. The hospital staff left and he was alone in the room.

Alone because his best friend died five years ago, it’s just that his body was still breathing, his brain losing sanity one breath at a time. Technicalities were bothersome.

He gulped as he walked towards the withering body that lay in the bed, deep asleep because of the amount of sedatives that were administered to it after he was found. They said, he managed to get his hands on a scalpel and used that. He didn’t remember what number this attempt was.

He observed the sunken cheeks and pale face. He noticed the wrists that were bandaged but even with that they weren’t half the size they were before.

This wasn’t his best friend. This was a skeleton with bare minimum flesh covering it. He didn’t recognise it. He couldn’t.

His eyes took a glimpse at the various machines that showed whatever measure they were supposed to. Why weren’t they beeping? Why weren’t they blinking? They should. Weren’t they designed to indicate the ailment in a body? Then why weren’t they doing their job then? They should do all that and much more because they were attached to a dead man.

His heart shrunk on its own as he blamed himself for the timing. He never thought he would feel regret over saving someone’s life. But here he was ready to take matters into his hands. He had had enough. His train of thoughts was interrupted by the sliding of the door. He didn’t turn around to look who it was. He already knew only one person would visit this room.

“Chanyeol! Oh thank God, you are here. I came in as soon as I was informed.”

Chanyeol watched as Kyungsoo rushed towards the bed and stroked the short, unevenly cut hair. His best friend stayed unmoving.

“He is okay. He is okay. Sehun is okay.”

Chanyeol didn’t know the assurance was for whom and he couldn’t help but scoff. The sound was bitter and his face was transformed with the lines of disgust that followed his thoughts.

“Okay is the last word I would use for him, Mr. Oh.” His words were bitterer and Kyungsoo flinched.

“Please don’t call me that.” The whisper was heard by him. He thought of not responding and walking out like he always does but something was bubbling up inside him and he gave into that something.

“I don’t know what else to call you.” ‘Anymore’ the word unspoken but substantial between them. The short man flinched again and he took joy in it. If he could hurt the man even an ounce of what his best friend went through, he would keep doing it and celebrate it as a win with cheap soju and beer.

“Don’t say that please.” Kyungsoo walked towards him, arms outstretched. He stepped away.

“Don’t you dare touch me.” He hissed, spit flying out of his mouth. “You know what? I blame myself for this. For him.” He pointed towards the body on the bed, his eyes burning but tears didn’t flow, he didn’t have any to spare. “I should have let him die that day. I am always late, always!” He pulled at his hair. “But once in my lifetime I reached early somewhere and you don’t know how much I regret it.”

“You saved hi-” Kyungsoo started but he cut him off with another scoff.

“Did I?” His hands shook with desperation and anger. “I condemned him to a lifetime of misery and agony. Look at him.” He grabbed Kyungsoo’s arm, turning him towards the bed and immediately withdrew his hand, rubbing it on his jeans as if to get the invisible gunk off. “Do you think he is okay? Did you never really see him before? Did you never know him before? Don’t you feel even an ounce of remorse?” 

The questions barrelled out of him and he watched in sick satisfaction as the man started to cry. Then he said something that put a domino effect into working.

“I can’t watch it anymore. If this happens one more time I will put an end to this myself.”

That made the short man look at him in shock. He absorbed that expression.

“Y-You can’t be serious.” He watched as the man stood a bit taller and looked at him in determination. “I won’t let you. He is my b-”

Chanyeol laughed. His booming voice filled the empty hospital room and made it more eerie.

“Brother?” He looked down at the man. “You lost all rights to call him that the moment you decided to become your father’s lapdog.”

He couldn’t look at the man’s face anymore so he turned and reached towards one of the bandaged wrists. His fingers flittered over it.

“If you think I won’t do it then you clearly don’t know me.” He wanted to reach down and place a peck on his best friend’s forehead. Sehun used to hate that. But his body didn’t follow his will and he turned away, crow feet etched on the corners of his eyes.

He gazed at the door and slow clapped.

“Congratulations on killing him again today.”

Then he walked out of the stifling room.

**∞**

"Do you understand me, Sehun?"

He didn't speak, he didn't need to, there was no one to listen to him, there wasn't Junmyeon to laugh at his stories and cry at his struggles.

He let his eyes get lost in the memories of big, round eyes, the petal soft pink lips, the giggles that set his heart on fire and made it fly. The eyes that stayed open, unseeing, still as the life leeched out of them. The lips that Sehun would never forget the taste of, the lips that turned pale from the pretty pink they usually were. The giggles that he'd never hear again, the giggles that would never make his heart go crazy again.

And he understood. He understood well. Very well. He understood that he killed his love, his universe. He understood that he survived. He survived when he should've died too. He understood it all to the point that he didn't know where he ended and the pain began.

He understood it all as his body curled around itself into a tight ball, trying to get away from the anguish and failing. He rocked his entirety back and forth and back and forth as the empty, gaping void that was once his heart, consumed him. It consumed his person, it devoured him whole.

Junmyeon stayed alive on his lover's lips the whole time, in small whispers and painful whimpers and sometimes in loud screams as Sehun murmured his name like a mantra, drowning himself deeper and deeper, hoping for mercy. Hoping for Junmyeon. Hoping for a way out. Hoping for escape.

Hoping for peace that had not come to him yet.… and won’t for the next few years.

**∞**

“Junmyeon? Where is he? Please someone tell me. Where is Junmyeon?”

Sehun’s desperate pleas fell on deaf ears as his family members kept mum. No one looked at him. He watched as his father left the room and his brother looked down at the white tiles.

“Soo, please I won’t meet him if that’s what you all want. I will never see him again. I will even stop talking about him. I swear. Just...” He hiccupped, tears rolling down his cheeks. “Please tell me he is fine. Please.”

He slipped down his bed hospital bed and the IV attached to his wrist was pulled taut to the point blood started leaking out of the tube. Getting down on his knees wasn’t difficult since they folded under his weight on their own.

“I am begging you, hyung.” His palms were on his knees as he bowed, his head touching the floor. “I need to know. Just this one time and I will never ask again, I promise.” He managed to choke out through his sobs.

“S-Sehun please...” His brother’s voice made the foreboding in his bones grow. His fingers went numb first but he managed to pull out the needle and throw it away.

“Hyung, tell me about him.” His voice sounded steady to him but the monitor that started beeping indicated he was anything but calm. He slammed his fists on the floor, red drops scattered on the white white white.

“He-he didn’t make it.”

His brother’s words didn’t make sense to him. He was lying. There is no way that his Jun... he would know. His soul would know a world without Junmyeon. He was sure about it.

“Stop saying that! Do you hate him that much?” His voice raised several octaves but before his anger could get the best of him he took a shuddering breath and his voice softened again. “I said I won’t see him again, hyung.” He tried to coax the information out of his brother, tried to negotiate but when that didn’t work, he turned towards another person who was standing away from him.

“Chan...please...” His best friend would understand. He always does. Chanyeol was the only one he would trust Junmyeon to, after himself. He would tell the truth. He watched as his best friend started sobbing and turned away from him.

“No...” The corner of his vision darkened and his lungs gave up on him.

An agonized wail put Kyungsoo and Chanyeol into motion. They tried to hold Sehun who was thrashing on the floor, his fingers clawing at his heart, nails scratching at any part of his body they could reach, legs flailing.

Kyungsoo could do nothing. He couldn’t hold back his tears as he encountered the beginnings of his brother losing his self.

**∞**

The emergency room of the hospital was in chaos as two gurneys were wheeled in. Doctors started giving instructions the moment they examined their respective patients. There were wounds and blood, lots of it. It was a matter of life and death, literally.

The patients were taken into two different rooms and a man waited in the hallway, his hands shaking, and his big ears red, his face wet with tears that were not stopping no matter how hard he tried. He stood for few minutes staring at something, seeing nothing. Then his knees shook and he sat down, his head in his hands. The despair he felt still bound so tight in his chest, he couldn’t breathe at times.

He hated waiting. He always had. He had always been an impatient person. But today he would wait as long as it would take, no matter how long it would take. The doctors knew the best. They would be able to save them. He didn’t acknowledge how empty his belief sounded to his brain because he had held the cold body too.

But his heart wouldn’t let him believe. His heart still held hope.

He could hear his blood rushing in his ears and neck and his hands trembled so much that he had to hide them under his thighs. A drop of sweat made its way down his temple slowly and before he could wipe it off, he saw a medical professional coming towards him.

He wanted to stand up but he knew his knees won’t hold him up so he sat still. He watched as a man in scrubs looked at him gravely and his heart plummeted to his stomach, sitting there like a brick, suffocating him. 

“His situation is critical but he is stable.”

The rest of the medical jargon got tuned out of his awareness. One word floating in his mind. _Stable._ A word that had conflicting emotions spiralling through him.

They were talking about Sehun, he knew because he had felt the fluttering but irregular heartbeat when he had found them. It was impossible to believe that Sehun had survived a gunshot to his skull. A wound that should have killed people on the spot but Sehun had survived, barely, but alive still.

The person was still speaking when he gathered enough courage to ask the dreaded question.

“And...a-and...” He couldn’t continue as his lips tied themselves shut, his throat dry.

He had the confirmation before the doctor spoke the words that changed his life forever. He pulled his legs up and curled tighter on the uncomfortable hospital metal chair, shuddering in pain and loss.

He was relieved that Sehun lived but he feared the aftermath that was sure to come. He remembered how cold the small body had felt, how still. His heart broke for his best friend. What would he tell Sehun? How would he face Sehun?

His fingers curled up and his nails dug into his palms as the doctor’s words kept bouncing in his head.

_I am sorry._

**∞**

His parents had always been the kind to support his every decision but he just knew that this one would be the first time they would shut him down faster than he could say ‘I’.

So Chanyeol did what he could. He grabbed what he could.

Sufficient amount of cash to keep them afloat for months. He tucked in his credit card in his wallet for emergencies. He wasn’t stupid enough to use the card and give their location away but it’s always better to have plan b on your hands rather than getting stranded somewhere with no options at all. He then stuffed multiple duffle bags with clothes. Junmyeon will just have to do with his till they can stop and go clothes shopping for him.

Leaving everything behind wasn’t easy. It looked so easy in the movies when the protagonist would just up and leave.

Chanyeol looked around his room and sighed. He stroked the letter he had kept on his study table, peeking out of his history textbook. They will be far away before his letter would be found.

He had waited till his staff retired for the night and then he raided the kitchen cupboards for canned foods, anything that will last them for a while.

At sharp 5:00 am he eased his car out of the parking. No one would suspect him, since he had a habit of going on rides to clear up his mind. Today was nothing different. His thoughts were in turmoil and sleep was not in sight so he left earlier than intended.

They were to abandon his car and opt for public transport. The plan wasn’t much but they had to make it work. Not succeeding was not an option any of them could afford at the moment.

It took him 15 minutes to finally get on the road that led him directly to the cottage. The wet road was empty. It had snowed lightly a few hours ago. He made a turn and passed a car.

Steel grey Aston Martin Vantage.

Chanyeol knew his cars but he couldn’t remember where he had seen this one before. His heart started to pound and his hands became clammy suddenly for unknown reasons as he tightened his hands on the steering wheel and stepped on the accelerator. The urgency to see his friends was palpable in him, pushing him to get there sooner.

He alighted from the car, barely shutting the door behind him as he jogged towards the open door.

Why would they leave the door open? It was cold out here for god’s sake!

His boots thumped twice as he skipped the stairs and directly jumped on the porch. It was too silent. It shouldn’t be this silent.

His mind told him something was wrong but he pushed the building unease away. They didn’t have much time. They had to move.

He stepped inside and looked down at the wet shoe prints at the entrance, his eyebrows furrowed. His next steps were slow, slower and cautious because it seemed like his body was moving on its own, his heartbeat too loud in his ears.

All he saw was red and then he was falling on his butt, his feet scrambling and pushing him back, trying to get away from the sight in front of him.

His hands fumbled around his pocket for his phone.

“Hello...” His voice hushed out of him as he struggled to breathe. “I need help. My friends...they need help. Please...”

**∞**

Jongin stopped yanking at Junmyeon as multiple shots rang out behind him. The sudden silence was pleasant to his ears. It was a blessing. His brother's screams were painful to listen to.

His fingers left the blue sweatshirt and Junmyeon's small body laid still on the floor in front of him. He watched as blood pooled around his brother, leaking into the rug below, the stain spreading and soaking it through.

His hands trembled and he hurriedly reached behind him and shoved the gun into his waistband. The butt of it digging into the low of his spine.

His anger flared again as he saw his brother's precious fingers touching an Oh. This won't do. This won't do at all.

He took out his silk handkerchief from his pocket and sat on his haunches between the two bodies. Then he gently unwrapped the small fingers and wiped them off with the grey cloth.

"A Kim is to never touch an Oh, Junbun." He said in a measured voice. His brother was a quick learner and gentle was the only way to handle Junmyeon.

Jongin knew that because he had practically raised his brother on his own. Junmyeon would never defy him. Sometimes he won't listen but when he sees that whatever his hyung said was logical, he always came around.

Jongin then kissed the cooling fingertips and laid the hand on the ground as far as possible from the other boy.

He sighed and stood up, pocketing the grey square again and walked out into the snow-sprinkled landscape.

**∞**

Junmyeon heard the click of the lock opening clearly and scrambled up from the bed. It's not that the cottage was small, it's just that his senses were on high alert since Chanyeol's phone call. They both were jumping at the slightest sound the house made.

He looked at the softly blinking numbers at Sehun's side of the bed.

04:37.

Chanyeol was early.

His breath shuddered out of him and he thought of waking Sehun up. He turned around to do exactly that and was faced with a Sehun deep asleep. He sighed. Sehun hadn't been sleeping since the day they had rescued him.

It seemed so long ago now even though only two days has passed since then. Him shivering in an alley behind some restaurant waiting for salvation after his world fell apart before him. But Sehun picked him up and had been trying to piece him back together. Junmyeon knew that he chose the right side that day.

Maybe that's what love was, feeling warm and safe in Sehun's arms when all the odds were stacked against them.

He quickly leaned down and stroked Sehun's hair then walked out of the room. He was just past the threshold of the bedroom when, for some reason, his footsteps stopped. Before he could help himself he turned around, retracing his steps to the small luggage that was sitting packed near the bed.

He unzipped his backpack the only thing he owned at the moment. Technically, even that wasn't his.

It was funny how their whole world was sitting divided between a small duffel bag and that backpack. The former was filled with Chanyeol's clothes, they didn't have any so they scrounged what they could, bare minimum essentials. The backpack held their ID cards and some meagre amount of cash. Everything else Chanyeol was supposed to bring with him.

The backpack held one more thing. It wasn't his either. It was a parting gift. The last favour Mr. Choi had done for him.

He pulled out the small pistol and made sure the safety was off as he walked back out. It’s not like he was going to use it so it didn’t matter. The metal gave him a sense of pseudo safety so he carried it around everywhere he went.

Mr. Choi had taught him basics. His fingers curled around the metal awkwardly. The weight of the metal in his hand was heavier than he had thought it would be, colder than he imagined it to be. He had never used one before. He hoped he'd never have to use it. He didn't, even for a second, have the delusion that he'd be able to do so if need be.

It wasn't in him. He was not Jongin. He was Junmyeon of the Kims and Junmyeon doesn't fire guns. But he still carried it, no matter how out of place it felt to him, and went to receive Chanyeol.

The living room was bathed in soft morning light, so dim he couldn't see properly. As he reached the middle of the room the door swung open revealing a tall silhouette.

"Chan?" He stopped, forehead creased, eyes narrowed. "Come on in." Chanyeol didn't move. "You are early." He chuckled and reached behind to switch on the lights.

Chanyeol was always late.

It took his eyes a moment to adjust to the sudden light that filled the room. He blinked.

His heart skipped a beat. The man stepped inside, not bothering to close the door behind him. A cold draft chilled the room instantly.

Junmyeon shivered. It wasn't because of the cold though. It was because of the terror that was filling him up. The emotion so palpable, it felt like a weight sitting on his chest, hindering his breathing. He could taste it on the tip of his tongue as he gasped. To Junmyeon terror tasted bitter.

"H-Hyung...." His voice trailed off as he saw the gun in Jongin's hand. The weapon looked better in the strong, lithe fingers, more at home, steady, more dangerous than it did in his. Lethal.

The man stopped just a few steps in and Junmyeon could finally see why the city feared Kim Jongin. The red rimmed eyes looked at him but didn't see him. The gaze went through him and the unease he was feeling increased tenfold.

Sehun was inside. He was safe. Junmyeon reminded himself. He didn't have time to grieve over the lost chance of getting away from all of this. It was over. Jongin was here to take him away.

"Hyung, please." He begged. Once again. If it was for Sehun he will do that too. There were so many things he wanted to say, none he could put properly in words and thread into a coherent sentence. He took a step forward. "I love him, hyung."

The whisper was too loud in the silence. And it changed everything as Jongin moved.

Junmyeon watched stupefied as his beloved hyung pointed the gun at him, still mute but eyes expressive. All Junmyeon could see was anger. It burned him from feet away.

He stepped back and raised his arms in front of him. Pistol pointed at Kim Jongin.

The two barrels faced each other. One steady, other shaking. Brothers stood against each other. One to save his family name and his belief, other to protect himself and the one he loved.

_"....I will kill them all...."_

His brother's words spoken days ago bouncing around in his head. The thought of leaving Sehun didn't pass Junmyeon's even once. They were inevitable. He would stand strong for Sehun till he can.

His arms shook and his vision wasn't at its best as tears streamed down his cheeks and onto his blue sweatshirt. But he still stood there pointing the only weapon he had, and didn't have the courage to use, at his own brother.

Junmyeon tried to blink the tears away. Jongin didn't look like a stranger to him. No. It was much, much worse. He looked like an enemy.

Junmyeon didn't hear the light footsteps coming up behind him. He didn't notice how Jongin's eyes flicked behind him for a moment. One moment was enough. The direction of the gun changed.

"Jun-"

The gunshot was silent.

Junmyeon didn't hear anything but a shallow click. But he saw it clearly, a small ball of fire at the end of the barrel.

It was there one instant and then it wasn't. And all Junmyeon could think was, it was beautiful. The small flash so inconspicuous yet so momentous.

_Thud!_

The sound was muted but that's what pulled Junmyeon out of his stupor. He turned around feeling as if he was under water and the movie was going at the slowest speed possible.

First thing he noticed was Sehun sleeping in an awkward position on the floor. His neck was going to hurt like that and he walked towards him to straighten him up. His mind didn't register the clank of the metal as the pistol slipped out of his fingers and clattered on the floor. He will get to it later.

He felt light, so weightless that he didn't remember kneeling on his knees near Sehun. But he was and Sehun wasn't looking at him. He saw his hands reaching out towards the taller and he straightened up the collar of Sehun's jean jacket.

"Sehun, wake up. We have to leave." They needed to leave before they were caught. "Chanyeol will be here soon. Wake up." Sehun wasn't waking up. "This isn't funny, Hunnie." His voice trembled now and he shook the boy gently. "Wake up.”

His cheeks were wet. He didn't know why. His mind screamed at him and it was numb at the same time and the conflicting states made no sense to him. His hands moved up towards the chin that he placed so many kisses on and turned Sehun's head in his direction.

If Sehun wasn't going to look at him then he was going to make him.

Second thing he saw was blood. There was so much of it. He didn’t know blood could be this dark. It was always bright red in the movies. Sehun's face on one side was covered with it and he wanted to wipe the disgusting red colour off. He moved to do that and Sehun's head flopped, fully facing him.

Third thing he understood was the source of the blood. He instinctively reached and tried to stop the flow by pressing on the wound. It was warm and slippery and Junmyeon never wanted to feel it again between his fingers or on his fingertips. Ever again.

His breath hitched. Sehun didn't make a sound.

And that's when Junmyeon screamed. His eyes wide in horror, the realisation finally sinking in, deep, deeper into his consciousness, crushing and colossal.

He wheezed through the shrieks, struggling to breathe, his hands tight on the lapels of Sehun's jacket. His fingers numb yet clutching the fabric between them as if his life depended on it.

Because it did. His entity was reliant on Sehun's.

He felt someone pull at him. He tightened his grip on Sehun, pushing his own body on Sehun's. They were taking him away from Sehun.

"NO."

The pull became stronger.

"Sehun! SEHUN!"

His screams deafening and yet it didn't seem like he breathed at all. His hands slipped from the lapels and he desperately gripped the edge of the jacket. It was one of Sehun's favourites. The denim was faded after multiple washes, the cloth rough on the edges, frayed. It smelled of Sehun. He remembered being drowned in it.

Another tug and Junmyeon cursed the blood that made his fingers slippery and grabbed at Sehun's thighs. The force pulled Sehun towards him.

"NO. MY HUNNIE!"

His fingers slipped and slipped finally catching on Sehun's ankle, gripping tight with one hand as his other tried so swat away the force that was separating him from Sehun.

"I am not leaving him." He said, tried to explain but the pull didn't relent, became more insistent.

When his hand couldn't prise the fingers away from his self, his own fingers scratched the floor, trying to hold onto something to help him stay.

He wasn't leaving Sehun. He would never leave Sehun.

The frenzied and scuttering fingers landed on something cold, clutching it instantly. The pistol still as unfamiliar as it was seconds ago.

Was it just a few seconds? It felt like several lifetimes.

It felt unpleasant in his hand, cumbersome and bulky. Awkward, awkward, awkward.

"I said," Junmyeon's body stopped thrashing. "I am not leaving him."

With his one hand outstretched and still on Sehun's ankle, Junmyeon urged the metal to meld itself like an unwanted overgrowth around his other palm. He aimed it towards himself, hooking his thumb through the trigger and pressed on it.

Till the chamber was empty and it held nothing life threatening inside of it.

**∞**

Chanyeol paced his room, anxious energy emitting off him in waves. He was furious. He was appalled and disgusted. He was outraged. His hands shook as he tried to make sense of everything his mind was spouting at him. His heart aching and bruised. His belief broken. His trust betrayed.

He made a decision.

_His cell phone ringing under his pillow woke him up. Last night was stressful and he had fitfully dozed off a couple of hours ago._

_“Hello?”_

_“Yeol.” Kyungsoo’s frantic voice woke him up into instant vigilance. “Please tell me Sehun is with you.”_

_“No, he isn’t.” This time the lie rolled smoothly off his tongue. Hiding things on phone was easier compared to doing it face to face. “What’s wrong, Soo hyung?” His concern for his boyfriend was as genuine as it can be._

_“Sehun is missing, Yeol, and I don’t know what to do.”_

_Chanyeol was off his bed and walking towards loo in seconds. “I’ll be there in 15.”_

_When Chanyeol entered the Oh estate, it all looked normal to him. The panic in Kyungsoo’s tone nowhere reflected on the property._

_He didn’t need directions and soon climbed up the stairs and crossed hallways to end up in front of his boyfriend’s room. The door was ajar and he was about to enter when he heard it. His fists clenched into fists._

_“You have disappointed me yet again, Kyungsoo.” Papa Oh’s voice was colder than the ice frosted on the surface of a lake. “You couldn’t deal with one job. I never had any expectations from Sehun but you are a much worse disappointment.”_

_“Appa, I didn’t—”_

_“Don’t give me that excuse when you were supposed to know. You told me you handled it along with the Kim boy. You told me that I didn’t have to worry. And now your brother is missing and so is the Kim brat.”_

_“Jongin told me he had it under control....”_

_Chanyeol’s shoulders went slack. Kyungsoo....why would Kyungsoo do something like this to Sehun, his own brother?_

_“Both of you are incompetent.”_

_Chanyeol didn’t stay to hear more. He knew enough. He walked out, deceived and lost._

The call was picked up on the fourth ring.

“Sehun.” Chanyeol sat down on his bed, his head in his hands. “It was your brothers. _Both_ of your brothers. Junmyeon was right. We leave tomorrow at 5.30.”

**∞**

“Chan, crank up the heater please.” Sehun’s worried voice filled the space and Chanyeol complied immediately. He hadn’t expected this. He hadn’t expected anything at all. Junmyeon wasn’t looking good. Most of it was because he was out in the cold for too long and that can be solved with some heat but he had seen the bruise on Junmyeon’s face. It looked old but if there was one who knows how many others was he hiding.

Chanyeol took off his coat and handed it to Sehun, who looked at him with gratitude and then piled it on Junmyeon, wrapping him carefully. He watched in the rear view mirror as Sehun rubbed his hands vigorously on Junmyeon’s back and shoulders then took Junmyeon’s hands in his and breathed on them, warming them up.

This situation was beyond fucked up and Chanyeol was terrified for himself, for his best friend, for the boy who had somehow carved a small space in his life.

It took 20 minutes for Junmyeon’s teeth to stop clattering. Chanyeol’s eyes were fixed on the dashboard clock.

“We have to leave, Hunnie. We can’t stay here.” Chanyeol heard the sobs, watched the shoulders shaking in Sehun’s grip. “He will come for us.”

Chanyeol assumed he referred to Kim Jongin. It was obvious Junmyeon was anxious.

“And go where? Where would two teenagers go?” Chanyeol didn’t want to sound curt but whatever Junmyeon was saying sounded pretty unrealistic to him.

“Anywhere. But not here.” The muffled voice didn’t do much for Chanyeol and he wanted to hit something.

“Chan, we need a place to hide for now.” His head whipped back at that. He was going to speak but Sehun beat him to it. “We can’t go home.” It seemed as if he was looking at Sehun for the first time in a while. Sehun’s eyes looked sad, his tone defeated. “I can’t go back home, Chan.” Sehun’s insistence made Chanyeol groan in frustration.

“I know a place.”

**∞**

Junmyeon shivered as he crouched down near a dumpster in an alley behind a pastry shop. The cold was creeping through his sneakers, his breath fogged in front of him and his fingers were long numb as he clutched his knees near his chest. The gun dug into his ribs as he tightened into a ball. The tears on his cheeks were colder and he wiped them on his sleeves. The backpack felt weightless on his back. There wasn’t much in it anyways.

He wouldn’t have been able to escape at all if it hadn’t been for Mr. Choi helping him. The thought of the man who had shown him mercy brought a fresh round of tears and he hiccupped, trying to stop them.

_“Leave. Leave and don’t come back, Junmyeon” His eyes were sad and Junmyeon cried harder, hugging the man tighter around the waist. “Live, Junbun.” The man hugged him back._

_“Look at me.” Junmyeon did. “Everything you need is here.” He handed Junmyeon a stack. “These are mine.” He pointed at the credit cards. “Don’t use them if it’s not absolutely necessary.”_

_He unzipped Junmyeon’s backpack and carefully put them inside._

_“This.” He tapped a cellphone, older model. “Has two contacts. Sehun’s and mine.” Junmyeon’s breath hitched at the name. “Call him. Don’t trust anyone else.”_

_Junmyeon clutched at the man’s jacket._

_“He has been waiting for you, Junbun.” Junmyeon nodded. “Leave as soon as you can. Hyung is...” Mr. Choi trailed off. Junmyeon watched as the man pulled something out of his jacket and placed it in his palm, a sad smile etched on his face. “Hyung doesn’t need to know.” He leaned down and kissed Junmyeon’s forehead. “Be happy, Junbun.”_

Junmyeon never thought he would be on the run from his own brother. But that man wasn’t his hyung. He lost his hyung the moment he hurt him. Now, he was Kim Jongin, the untouchable, the merciless heir of Kim Corporations whose life purpose was to destroy Ohs. Junmyeon didn’t want any part in it.

He was drifting in and out of consciousness, the cold affecting his fragile body. He had stopped shivering ages ago now he was just numb.

He flinched when his surroundings suddenly lit up and he shinnied onto his unsteady feet, holding the gun in front of him with both his shaking hands, his eyes blinded by the headlights shining into them. He tried to blink and see who it was but it was in vain.

Dying was better than getting caught. He cannot go back now.

“Jun!”

Sehun. It was Sehun. His brain supplied.

His stance relaxed and he shielded his eyes with an arm.

Sehun was here. _Sehun is here._

He tried to smile, to show that he was as okay as he can be considering the situation was far from okay.

**∞**

Three months.

It had been three months since Junmyeon was dragged away from him. Three months since he had seen Junmyeon, heard his voice, smelt his jasmine and edelweiss body lotion.

He had been waiting for some news from him. Two words, ‘I’m fine’, would have been enough. Junmyeon’s phone was unreachable, text messages unseen, emails bouncing back. To say that Sehun was worried would be the understatement of the century. Waiting for any news on Junmyeon was excruciating. Chanyeol had failed to provide any kind of information. Junmyeon had disappeared into thin air.

Some of Sehun’s privileges were taken away. Kyungsoo followed him everywhere. Sehun wasn’t close to his brother before, now he loathed him. His brother had said some things that were never to be taken back.

“They are using you. How can you not see that, Sehun? You think he can love you? You think anyone can ever fall in love with you?”

Sehun covered his ears with his palms, trying to protect his ego. Listening to same words over and over again, every day, was taking a toll on his mental health. He often wondered, if what his brother said was true. What if Junmyeon never loved him? What if he wasn’t lovable? What if Junmyeon wasn’t real in the first place? But then he would remind himself of the bright smiles and the soft kisses and all their dreams and how those dreams involved both of them and how they were happy and then the tightness in his chest would ease and he would be able to breathe.

As the days passed, it was getting difficult to convince himself though.

“The day you will understand that he wasn’t worth your attention, will be the day you will be free again.”

The doors slammed shut and he turned away from the window he was looking out of.

What freedom was his brother talking about when he wasn’t free to love Junmyeon? When he wasn’t allowed to be with him?

His life wasn’t thrilling before but now it was restricted to the inside of his four walls too. Chanyeol was the only person keeping him sane. He hadn’t dared to share with his best friend how his brother was treating him. There was no point in doing so anyway. He knew his brother was his father’s pawn and he would never be powerful or daring enough to go against his own father.

His phone vibrated on the bed and he would have missed it if it hadn’t blinked in the dark. Chanyeol must be calling for a walk. His best friend was a lunatic, he liked the night time.

He took his sweet time to stride the two steps it took him to reach the gadget. His eyebrows shot up on his forehead when he saw a restricted number on the screen. His mind screamed Junmyeon and his fingers were fumbling to receive the call.

“Hello?” He breathed, making sure his door was locked from inside. He heard heavy breathing from the other side but no vocal reaction. “Hello?” He clutched his phone tight, the corner of it digging into the shell of his ear.

“...Hunnie.”

His knees gave away as he slid down and sat on the floor, his tears flowing.

“Jun.” He heard shushed sobs and that triggered his own. It took him more than a few minutes to compose himself. “How are you? Where are you? Are you okay?” The questions were left unanswered as Junmyeon sobbed harder.

**∞**

Kyungsoo sat on the stiff wooden chair in his father’s study. It wasn’t a good thing. A talk in his study meant trouble for him and he gulped and tried to regulate his breathing. His dread made it difficult for him to think properly. His foot twitched as the door closed and footsteps went around him. The creak of the chair made him tighten his fingers on the armrest.

“You have been a disgrace as always, Kyungsoo.”

The words got stored permanently in his brain. Like multiple ones before this and multiple that’d come sooner or later.

“How did you not know about Sehun's activities in the school? With a Kim too?” His father spat and Kyungsoo held his body taut so his flinching won’t be visibly obvious. “Were you too busy with Chanyeol to notice? Because your grades are definitely not the reason.”

Kyungsoo had scored maximum marks in his recent exam. He was the top ranking student of his class. Instead of congratulating his son, his father had preferred to pay more tutors to make his grades better.

“I am assigning you with your first responsibility.”

Kyungsoo’s head snapped up. His father was giving him a chance to prove his competency. He will try his best. He won’t fail. He nodded even before his father told him what he needed to do.

“Erase that boy off Sehun’s mind. We will think about the handing over of the company if you succeed. No son of mine will be with a Kim while I am alive.” Kyungsoo nodded again, eager to prove himself, to prove his worth.

“Do whatever you deem necessary to make your brother behave.”

“Yes, Appa.”

“Dismissed.”

**∞**

Jongin remembers it clearly. He was 12, barely a teenager.

He can still taste the hospital smell on his tongue. It was everything vile. He still sees it vividly, his mother crying, sitting on a chair and Mr. Choi standing beside her, bruised but alive like an obstinate pillar, holding the family together. He remembers how Junmyeon was 8, a tiny thing, looking confused between this mother and Mr. Choi. He had patted Junmyeon’s head, smiling slightly, not feeling the assurance himself. But Junmyeon trusted him and curled up beside him, drifting off to sleep in minutes. The day had been hectic. He also remembers when the doctor had informed them something and his mother had fainted.

His father was never to leave the bed. A bullet has pierced through his spinal cord rendering him paralyzed for life. He was alive but was that even living?

After that one incident, his life had become a blur.

Learning to handle a multi-layered business organization was tedious and difficult. And at his age, he wasn’t the best pupil but Mr. Choi was patient and diligent and slowly, surely Nini was carved into the Kim Jongin he was today. His innocence and childhood stripped away as he was asked to take decisions that’d keep their empire running. Waiting was not an option. Others were ready to railroad the Kims into dust. So Jongin, being the eldest, learned to keep his needs, hobbies, interests, likes and dislikes aside. Because responsibility came first. Restoring the family reputation was a priority. It was slow and he had to lose his pride too many times over it but finally he was getting somewhere with it.

He couldn’t particularly remember how he got through the hellish six years, the only bright part of his life was his little Junbun. Anything or anyone else wasn’t worth his emotions. Junmyeon followed him everywhere, won’t eat a bite without him during the meals, did his homework religiously to show his hyung every night, waited for Jongin to tuck him to sleep every night.

They had been the constant presence for each other for half of their lives and Jongin never thought that would change. They were brothers, bound by blood, nothing would come between them....but something has and Jongin’s life was thrown into chaos again.

He looked down at his hand. This was the first time he had raised his hand on Junmyeon. He felt sick. The image of Junmyeon, his small Junbun, stumbling back and falling as his hand came in contact with his cheek. The plump cheek had become red instantly and the shocked expression on Junmyeon’s face was something Jongin would never forget. He had tried to reach forward but Junmyeon had flinched back, his sobs still ringing in Jongin’s ears.

He clenched his hand into a fist and slammed it on his table. He screamed as he swept the things off it. Things scattering and breaking and clattering all over the floor.

_“They did this to Papa, Junmyeon. They made him like that.” Jongin tried to explain why he was so against Junmyeon._

_His brother hasn’t been co-operating at all with him. He had tried to contact the Oh boy twice before he was permanently locked into his room sans any technology. It hurt Jongin to treat his brother like a criminal but what he had committed wasn’t less than a crime. When he had seen the boy touching Junmyeon that day, trying to help him up, Jongin had lost it. That boy should be glad he didn’t have a weapon with him at that time._

_“He coerced you, didn’t he? Maybe he blackmailed you too?” He asked desperate to know why Junmyeon would claim to fall in love with someone who had ruined their lives beyond repair. He needed to know that the Ohs did this to his brother. There’s no way his Junbun would betray him, betray his own blood like this._

_“Did he do something....unseemly to you?” The boy doing things to his baby brother was a thought that made him see red. He wanted to rip the boy to pieces._

_“Was it Sehun?” Junmyeon finally spoke up from the corner he was curled up in, still not looking at him._

_“What?”_

_“Was it Sehun who did it to Papa?” Junmyeon’s question threw him off. It might not be the boy, but it was his blood._

_“It was the Ohs.” His answer was absolute, fixed. Everything that has gone wrong in his life was because of that family._

_“I asked, was it Sehun?” This time Junmyeon stood straight, meeting his eyes._

_“Do not speak of his name in this house again.” Jongin’s fury was rising. Junmyeon calling that boy’s name with so much love, it rubbed Jongin the wrong way._

_Junmyeon raised his chin, his eyes narrowed. Jongin had never seen him like this before. So resolute, so defiant. What had they done to his Junbun?_

_“Sehun.” It was like a slap for Jongin, the name raging between them, destroying them in the process. “Sehun. Sehun. Sehun. Sehun. Sehun. Sehun. Se—”_

_Jongin was backhanding Junmyeon before he could stop himself._

He stood in his destroyed office, a few stray tears wiped off from his cheeks. This won’t do. This won’t do at all. He has worked too hard to get the family name where it was today. He wouldn’t let his brother’s insanity ruin it all again.

After that incident, it became easier for Jongin to hit Junmyeon. With each display of the younger’s insolence, Junmyeon was rewarded with a new bruise.

Jongin didn’t stop, neither did Junmyeon.

_“We can use his feelings for you to take our revenge. We can destroy them, Junmyeon.”_

_“What about my feelings for him, hyung?” Junmyeon flinched as he Jongin stepped forward. “I love him, hyung. I love Sehun.” Jongin knew his brother saw the slap coming. This time Junmyeon swayed but managed to keep standing. “Is your hatred for them more than your love for me?”_

_Jongin’s insides ached at seeing his brother’s tears. His Junbun was crying and it was that boy’s fault. They never would be here if it wasn’t for that boy._

_There was only one answer to Junmyeon’s question and Jongin didn’t like lying so he told the truth._

_“Yes.”_

_He didn’t wait to see the shattered expression on Junmyeon’s face and turned around. He wouldn’t understand anyways because Junmyeon had never faced the difficulties, because Junmyeon had always been sheltered and safe while he was going around bowing to people and securing alliances. “If I get a chance, I’ll kill them all.” He heard a gasp as he walked out, locking the doors behind him._

Jongin looked at his phone in disgust. The contact number blinking in his phone was a necessary evil. He pressed the button and held it to his ear.

“I think we need to nip this obsession of theirs with each other in the bud. I don’t want my brother to do anything with yours.”

**“My father wants the same.”**

“A meeting is in order then.”

**∞**

“This is nice.” Junmyeon said as he laid on a blanket in an open field. This was their first date. Chanyeol had planned everything. Sehun had supervised.

The dinner was nice and their empty cans of soft drinks were stored in the basket. Now they were stargazing. The sky was clear and it was full of tiny sparkles and both of them didn’t know what any of them were called except the Ursa Major. _Everyone_ knew Ursa Major.

“Did you like it?” Sehun asked, kissing the back of Junmyeon’s hand clasped in his and resting them on his chest.

“I loved it. It was perfect.” Junmyeon nudged Sehun’s feet with his and the taller chuckled. Junmyeon hovered over Sehun for a moment, blocking his view of the sky and looked down. “Thank you for this, Hunnie.” Their lips touched for a brief moment.

“Kim Junmyeon.”

The voice was so familiar but the tone of it, far from it. He didn’t recognise it at first because he couldn’t remember the last time his brother had called him anything but Junbun.

His body immediately scooted away from Sehun as he looked around frantically. And there he was...his brother standing a few feet away with an unreadable expression on his face. Junmyeon jerked forwards on his knees and struggled to stand up so Sehun helped him.

Before he was steady on his feet, he was being dragged away. He stumbled on his own feet and almost fell flat on his face but managed to hold onto his brother’s shirt.

“Hyung—” He tried to look back at his boyfriend but he was being shoved into the passenger seat, the sound of the door slamming so loud that he flinched. “Sehun....”

Junmyeon was oblivious to what was happening and he watched Sehun standing still on the cream coloured blanket with pink cherry blossoms on it.

The silence in the car was too much for him and he didn’t have the courage to break it. So he sat still, cowering in the warm seat, trying his best not to look at his brother, trying his best to disappear but not succeeding at all.

His brother’s anger was a physical thing pressing him down into the confined space. He had never been subjected to that before. Jongin had never lost his cool with him. Not even when he had broken precious things or refused to eat for days because he wanted that specific toy or even when he had locked his door from inside that one time and couldn’t open it and the door had to be broken down.

He had never been terrified of his own brother before and now that he was, he didn’t know what to feel about it, how to deal with it.

The gates shut behind them with a soft clank but for Junmyeon, in that moment, the muted sound felt ominous and definite. Something had changed and he didn’t know what.

**∞**

Jongin had been away for two days. This was the first time Mr. Choi wasn’t accompanying him for business but he was sure he was going to get this job done and he did. Then he went and bought tons of stuff because Junmyeon loved gifts.

“Where is Junmyeon?” The question was out before he handed his coat over to the waiting man. Usually his Junbun would be bouncing around him screaming his eardrums off for his stuff.

When he took off his suit jacket, he realized that Mr. Choi still hadn’t answered the question. No....it was shocking that he had to ask Junmyeon’s whereabouts in the first place because usually someone would be ready with a detailed report on what happened while he was away. He turned and looked at the man who stood stoic and unreadable.

“Samchun.” Jongin didn’t use the word much nowadays. “Is something wrong?” He observes as the man’s expression turned and twisted into something much worse. Fear.

If Mr. Choi was scared then....

“Junmyeon is out on a date.” Jongin waited for the man to continue. He looked down at his watch. It was 8 pm. Junmyeon knew when his curfew started, he still had two hours to himself. He didn’t see the problem here.

“He really likes this boy, huh? He better treat Junbun like a gentleman or I’m going to have words with Mr. Park.” Jongin chuckled expecting Mr. Choi to share his amusement but the man looked more fidgety than before.

The man has been a constant though most of his life, even more than his parents so seeing him this....shaky made Jongin nervous. He rubbed at the end of his sleeve.

“What aren’t you telling me?” He stood straighter, the command firm. The man bowed his head.

“It isn’t a Park, Master Jongin.” Jongin’s eyes narrowed, head tilted in perplexity. “It’s the youngest Oh.”

Jongin’s senses were trained to notice anything and everything regarding the name Oh and he heard Mr. Choi just fine. He was out of the doors in a minute, peeling the car out of the parking in the next.

**∞**

“Hyung—AAAAAHH!” Sehun slammed the door as he walked in on his best friend sucking his brother’s face like his life depended on it.

Chanyeol looked at his boyfriend and laughed out loud as he walked to open the door and granting Sehun entrance.

“Can you put a sock on the door or something?” Sehun asked as he passed a folder to his brother.

“We weren’t even doing much.” Chanyeol’s offended tone made Kyungsoo laugh. Chanyeol loved that laugh.

Sehun gave them a look of disgust and walked out.

“Don’t hog my best friend for too long, hyung.”

Chanyeol just rolled his eyes at Sehun being petty. He wanted to retaliate about how he was worse with Junmyeon but stopped the words at the last minute. Kyungsoo didn’t know. He had a feeling that it was better to keep Kyungsoo away from this as long as possible.

He sat beside his boyfriend again who was busy going through the papers he had pulled out of the folder. Kyungsoo looked tired. Chanyeol knew how relentlessly he had been preparing for his exams. His boyfriend had been swamped with school and family. Papa Oh had started training Kyungsoo personally and since then they had even less time to spend with each other.

Not many knew about their relationship. Since, Chanyeol was Sehun’s best friend and the two were joined at the hips almost all the time no one suspected either. It was on one’s business anyways, except his and Kyungsoo’s.

Chanyeol had always looked up to Kyungsoo. Even when they were kids and used to play together and Kyungsoo would build them umbrella forts so easily or when he could reach the cookie jar without any effort or when he was patient while teaching them the demon that was calculus.

Kyungsoo was a god for Chanyeol then and it was still the same.

Coming to terms with his feelings for Kyungsoo had been easy for him. The difficult part was to wrap his head around the fact that his feelings were reciprocated. It was a common understanding between their families too and Chanyeol couldn’t believe it was all so easy for them.

“What is it, hyung?” The lines on Kyungsoo’s forehead were telling enough. His Soo was stressed about something, most probably something papa Oh had directed him to do.

“Nothing, nothing.” He watched with sadness as Kyungsoo stuffed the papers back into the folder and kept it aside. Chanyeol understood when his boyfriend started to keep things from him. It was none of his business as long as it didn’t affect him and their relationship but he wished Kyungsoo to lay a bit of his burden on him so that he could breathe more easily. But he also accepted how some things could not be shared just yet.

His promise was of unconditional love and support and nothing would shake him off Kyungsoo’s side.

“Don’t stress too much, okay? It worries me.” The corners of his lips rose slightly forming a crooked smile on his face. He reached out and brushed a thumb over Kyungsoo’s eyebrow and the elder closed his eyes, sighing.

“I am fine. Dad has been...well, nothing I can’t handle.” Kyungsoo smiled at him the heart-shaped smile he so adored and he leaned down pecking his nose.

“Of course, my little warrior.” Kyungsoo swatted his hands away, sulking.

“Don’t call me little.” Chanyeol laughed and just like that the tension was dissolved. That’s why Chanyeol didn’t expect the question, didn’t see it coming.

“What’s happening with Sehun?”

Chanyeol’s ears turned red and hot at record speed. He looked away from Kyungsoo trying his hardest not to be obvious.

“What’s happening with him?” _Great save there, Chanyeol. Just great._ He was too transparent.

“Yeol.” Kyungsoo tugged his chin and their eyes met. “I am glad he has you. I get why Sehun doesn’t tell me things so I am glad he has someone he can share his personal stuff with.”

Chanyeol didn’t know how to react so he hugged the smaller close, content that he wasn’t actively opposing Sehun, content that he didn’t have to go against his boyfriend or his best friend.

**∞**

“He is okay with us.” Junmyeon said still stunned the way his brother had been so easy going about his relationship with Sehun.

“Kim Jongin likes me? Kim Jongin likes an Oh?” Sehun’s was equally stunned, his jaw slack and his eyes wide. Junmyeon giggled and poked at his cheek.

“I wouldn’t go as far to say that he likes you.” Junmyeon rolled his eyes. “Tolerating you is more like it,” His raised his chin in a haughty manner. “All because I like you.”

“Well then you just have to like me for a long long time.” Sehun jumped on him, hugging him close and Junmyeon sighed.

“And why would I do that?” He snuggled closer bringing his book closer to finish up his reading for his literature class. “What are you offering, Oh Sehun?”

“A house, four puppies, one kitten to keep them all in line, and a loving husband.” Sehun’s response was instantaneous and Junmyeon reeled back looking at his boyfriend in astonishment.

“What? I just like to think about how our future would be in my free time.”

“How much free time do you have on your hands?” Junmyeon teased and Sehun cleared his throat trying to push Junmyeon away. Junmyeon, in response, clung to him. “Add one Junmyeon-sized night garden to the package and we have a deal.”

**∞**

“So,” Jongin wiped his clean lips with the napkin after finishing up his soup. The dinner at Kims was an affair of two as every meal was as long as Junmyeon could remember. His parents liked to stay in their wing, the boys preferred to stay in theirs. “This boy you are seeing....” The sentence was thrown casually around but it triggered a vicious reaction.

Junmyeon choked on the last sip of his soup, coughing uncontrollably as Jongin smirked behind his napkin and Mr. Choi exited the room shaking his head. These boys were going to be the death of him.

“Wh-What?” Jongin took pity on his stuttering brother and urged him to drink water.

“Isn’t he rather tall for you, Junbun?” His smirk widened as Junmyeon blushed and looked offended at the same time.

“He isn’t _that_ tall.” Sehun was. He was a giant.

“So there is a boy, huh?” Jongin threw the bait and Junmyeon fell for it hook, line and sinker. The younger’s blush turned into deep red and he looked everywhere but at him.

Jongin never wanted his brother to grow up. He would always be a baby to him even when he would turn 70 but he also didn’t want to bind Junmyeon to a life of misery. He would be damned if he did that. He leaned back in his chair and watched Junmyeon fidget with the corner of his mat. He could practically hear his brother thinking of an excuse.

“Does he treat you well?” Jongin smiled when Junmyeon finally looked at him. He nodded and smiled encouraging his brother to answer. This was a new territory for both of them but he was trying his best to put Junmyeon at ease.

“He does.” For some reason Junmyeon looked scared and that planted a seed of unrest in Jongin’s mind. “I....I thought you won’t accept him, hyung. Accept us.” Jongin’s heart broke a little at that. He would never deny Junmyeon anything. He couldn’t even imagine doing that. He wasn’t that powerful.

“Oh, Junbun.” He reached out and unclasped the fingers from the fabric, taking them gently between his. “Why won’t I? You like him, don’t you?” When Junmyeon was about to speak Jongin squeezed his fingers once and let go. “That’s enough.”

Jongin was satisfied at the way Junmyeon beamed at him like he just hung stars for him. If Jongin could, he would do that too.

“Tell him to behave or else....” He twirled his knife in his hands and Junmyeon laughed.

“I will definitely tell him that.”

**∞**

“Chan!”

Junmyeon whisper screamed as he ran to catch up with the tall boy. Damn those mile long legs. He had a feeling that Chanyeol was purposely making him run when he could’ve stopped ages ago. That bastard!

“Would you just stop?” Junmyeon clutched the back of Chanyeol’s jacket as he huffed and tried to regain normal breathing.

“Oh, Junmyeon. I didn’t hear you from up here.” He hated Chanyeol and would’ve let his middle finger express his emotions but he needed the taller for something urgent right now.

“Chan.” He started again, eyes big and innocent, lips pouty and tilted down at the corners. He thought he could hear Chanyeol’s mind going on high alert, mental walls gong into lockdown, resisting his charm.

“Don’t call me that.” Chanyeol snapped at him and Junmyeon smiled extra sweet. He acted like he didn’t like being called Chan by Junmyeon. Junmyeon knew better. Chanyeol was a softie through and through and that’s why Junmyeon liked him.

“Chaaaaan!” He sing-songed and watched as the taller looked down at him with pretend distaste. “Please do something for me. Will you?” He clasped his hands in front of his chest and tried to look helpless. “Please.” He added, his voice extra sugary.

“No. I said I am not doing anything for both of you.” Chanyeol shook his head and Junmyeon almost rolled his eyes. The boy had the audacity to say that when he went out of his way to help them.

“Thank you, Chan!” Junmyeon squealed and hugged the taller suddenly, slipping a packet in his jacket pocket. “Give it to Sehun, please. Tell him I miss him and to get well soon.” He was running away out of the school gates before Chanyeol understood what just happened. That Kim boy was a brat.

Junmyeon giggled as he passed a familiar car. He stopped and then turned around checking the number plate. It was familiar alright. He looked around before opening the door and slipped inside. The car moved immediately.

“What are you doing here, hyung?” Junmyeon asked smiling wide like he always did for his brother.

“I thought I would pick you up today.” Jongin ruffled his hair and he closed his eyes. It meant so much to him that his brother took time out of his busy schedule to pick him up. He hadn’t seen Jongin for about three days. The man has been cooped up in his office doing whatever he does and Mr. Choi was very serious with his instructions about not disturbing Jongin.

“Thank you, hyung.” Junmyeon’s eyes disappeared into upside-down crescents.

Jongin looked at Junmyeon like he was seeing his baby brother for the first time. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that his Junbun might be dating someone.

He had heard of a Park digging up on his brother a few days after Junmyeon started the school. He was worried at first and was very careful with what was disclosed and what shouldn’t be. He had concrete information on how his brother was spending most of his time with one Park Chanyeol.

When it had gone down between Kims and Ohs, everyone had taken sides, except the Parks. Even though it was clear that Parks were closer to Ohs, they had decided to stay neutral and Jongin respected that. It took guts to stand against the two parties that ruled the town.

The most surprising part was that Parks were clean and not into dirty business like the other two so it took a good amount of courage to go against the two families at once. But they did and they survived, stood on neutral ground in the battle, stayed as allies to both after. Now, there were three factions in power as opposed to two as was before Kims and Ohs went at each other.

Jongin liked the Parks and that’s why he had no reservations on Junmyeon being close to the only Park heir. Personal relationships went a long way than business deals ever did

**∞**

“I would like to take you to the annual dance this year.” Sehun mumbled but Junmyeon heard him.

“That’s a beautiful dream but one, we can’t be seen together and two, I can’t dance.” Junmyeon rolled on his stomach beside Sehun. His boyfriend looked at him in surprise.

“You can’t dance?”

“And you can?” Junmyeon tilted his head, a smirk playing on the corner of his lips, stroking Sehun’s hair off his forehead.

“Of course I can.” His hand was grabbed and tugged as Sehun stood up and made him do the same. “I will teach you.”

“Here? Right now?” Junmyeon asked, his eyebrows rising on his forehead to meet his bangs in surprise.

“Yeah.” Sehun snaked an arm around his waist, pulling him closer. “Loop your hands around my neck and step on me.” Junmyeon locked his arms at the nape of Sehun’s neck. When he stopped at that, Sehun rolled his eyes and grabbed his waist, picking him up easily. Junmyeon being small gave Sehun enough leeway to manhandle him around. The smaller feet were dropped on Sehun’s gently and the taller hummed in satisfaction.

Then they moved to the rhythm of their heartbeats—

“My ears are bleeding.” Chanyeol’s voice pipes in and Junmyeon hides his face in Sehun’s chest, trying not to laugh out loud. He peeked from top of Sehun’s shoulder as the latter twirled him around paying no mind to his best friend’s complaining.

Chanyeol looked at them with disgust. Junmyeon blew him a raspberry. Sehun was happy to have them both with him and smiled wide.

**∞**

Chanyeol being in the picture was both, a reward and a punishment.

Despite saying that he won’t help them, he always did! Chanyeol’s presence made sneaking around so much convenient. The boy would always get grumpy at them for being clingy but would relent easily. Sehun loved to watch Junmyeon and Chanyeol’s banter where his boyfriend would try his extra hard to get on his best friend’s nerves. Junmyeon almost always succeeded. Their petty fights were entertaining to watch and Sehun was just happy that he gets to spend time with two of his favourite people in the world.

Chanyeol was a curse too. He was practically _everywhere_ , following Sehun and that gave them less opportunities of being alone.

It wasn’t the best situation but they quickly became a ragtag team trying their best to keep their skeletons where they belonged, out of sight and in their cupboards.

But doors always open and they let things out whether you want them to or not.

**∞**

Chanyeol couldn’t comprehend the sight in front of him. His mind went blank for a second and then flooded with colourful expletives, some of which slipped out of his lips before he could stop it.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?”

The two bodies jumped apart.

Secrets were never meant to be that, secrets and theirs was out.

They looked at each other multiple emotions swirling through them, fear being the most significant. Getting caught was never in their plan. Getting caught by Sehun’s best friend was the last thing they had ever hoped for.

Junmyeon clutched Sehun’s jacket cuff and took a step towards him. Chanyeol was taller than Sehun and right now he looked scary. Junmyeon tried to rely on the only source of his comfort in the current fucked up situation. Sehun.

Sehun felt his life draining away when he heard Chanyeol’s booming voice. He didn’t even have it in him to tremble. He felt Junmyeon slide closer to him, the small fingers shaking against his wrist. He was hyper-aware of how his best friend was glaring at their hands. He wanted to squirm under the gaze or better yet run away from here, take Junmyeon away too.

“Chan, I can explain.” The words tumbled out, increasing the few feet between them into vast valleys. They knew there was nothing to explain. It was over.

Chanyeol’s gaze moved from their hands to his face and Sehun flinched. His best friend was angry but more than that he was hurt. Sehun had been lying to Chanyeol. So many times he had almost given up and spilled about his relationship with Junmyeon but Chanyeol’s initial reaction was always on his mind and stopped him from doing anything drastic.

So from his closest confidant, Chanyeol had become one of many people he had to hide from too.

“How long has this been going on?” Chanyeol’s eyes looked glassy to Sehun and he wanted to hug his best friend close but he didn’t know if he had any rights to do so anymore. “No. I don’t want to know anything.” Chanyeol pulled at his hair, a habit that resurfaced every time he was frustrated. Sehun always teased him that he was going to go bald because of that.

“Chan—“ He started again just to get cut off again.

“This is why you’ve been lying to me. He is the reason you’ve been like this.” His best friend wasn’t capable of hatred but the glare he directed towards Junmyeon was sharp and uncomfortable.

“Do not talk to him like that.” It turns out Sehun still had some courage left in him. His voice softened immediately after, pleading. “Chan, please.” His eyes started welling up and Chanyeol’s figure blurred. “I love him, Chanyeol.” The words spilled just like his tears. He blinked his eyes to see Chanyeol’s face stuck somewhere between shock, dislike and panic.

“ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE, OH SEHUN?” Chanyeol’s hair looked like a haystack now, wild and awry. If it had been Kyungsoo maybe he would have punched either of them by now. But Chanyeol was....Chanyeol and no matter how angry he was, Sehun knew he was still his best friend. “Who else knows about this?”

When Sehun was about to answer, Chanyeol hissed through his gritted teeth. “And how do you even know what love is when you have never felt it before?”

Sehun’s face split into a blinding smile at the question, his hand instinctively found Junmyeon’s. “I just do.” When he looked at Junmyeon, the latter was looking at him, smile wide, eyes soft and Sehun was sure they had mirror expressions.

Chanyeol cleared his throat and Sehun continued, “And of course no one knows about us. Just you.” He watched as Chanyeol gulped and then his shoulder slumped in resignation.

“This isn’t going to end well.” He looked at them, his eyes sad. Sehun nodded at Junmyeon, gently removing himself from the grip. He then walked towards Chanyeol and hugged him tight.

“Thank you.” He whispered, a lump in his throat threatening to make his eyes tear up again. “Thank you so much, Chan.”

“Don’t thank me.” Chanyeol squeezed him tight for a second and then pushed him away. “I know nothing. Do you understand? I know nothing about you two.” He pointed his finger at the two and Sehun nodded.

“But,” Sehun held his breath. “If Kyungsoo asks me, I won’t lie to him.” Sehun’s heart thundered in his chest. His brother was the last person he wanted to know about his relationship. “I won’t volunteer any information but if he asks, I won’t lie.” Sehun heard the determination in his best friend’s voice. Nothing and no one, not even Kyungsoo, can change Chanyeol’s mind once he has made it up about something.

Sehun stepped back and Junmyeon latched onto his hand again. He understood his friend’s stance. He nodded. Chanyeol grimaced.

“And can you be any less obvious?”

**∞**

Their romance was like an inferno. Raging and profound and all consuming.

Sehun wished he could describe their love story as the one that was written in stars; instead it was a tale of secrets and fear and a constant cloud of paranoia.

“You are late, Jun.” He whined like a child, from their hiding spot near the stairs that went up to the terrace.

“I am sorry. Prof. Kun held me back about the assignment we submitted last week.” Junmyeon whined back as he scooted closer to the taller, both of their backs resting against the wall, their legs splayed before them. Sehun pouted for a second more and then gave in to the temptation and leaned down pressing his lips to Junmyeon’s. They both blushed and looked away.

Months later, fond gazes had turned into hand holding then into pecks on cheeks and soon their inexperienced lips were exploring untried territories. Dating was an impossible concept for both of them so they improvised with whatever time they could take out of their school schedule.

Often times they couldn’t meet each other for days on end and it hurt Sehun much more than he had ever imagined it to. The thought of someone being that important to him had never crossed his mind. He had always been an obedient child, cute and funny and someone who was often overlooked because he was the youngest out of the two Ohs. He never knew he had it in him to defy the vital value his family had ingrained in him: Ohs should never have anything to do with the Kims.

Sehun had decided that he would like to challenge that, although in secrecy. And....he has never been happier in his life before.

It was just them against the world and that made the love they had for each other extra special.

“You think our family will accept us?” Sehun asked as he played with Junmyeon’s fingers. Junmyeon’s palms were smaller than his, so much so that he could cup Junmyeon’s both palms in his comfortably and he often did exactly that. The smaller boy squirmed, trying to find a comfortable position for his head on Sehun’s shoulder.

“I think they will.” Junmyeon said as he stopped moving and sighed, burrowing closer to Sehun’s warmth and bent his knees closer, resting most of his weight on Sehun. He wasn’t used to sitting on cold, hard floors. “Hyung will never say no to me. I know he looks intimidating but trust me, Sehun, he is the most trustworthy person in my life after you.” Junmyeon turned his head upwards and smiled. “I think if I explain to him, he will listen and help us.”

And it was so easy for Sehun to trust Junmyeon’s beautiful smile and his bright eyes. “If my family disowns me, I am staying at yours.” He jokes. Junmyeon giggles making every worry fade from his mind.

“Oh pssh, my hyung will handle it. We will end this feud between our families.”

“Yes, we will.”

Their conversation then wandered towards lighter topics and ended up in a tickle fight. They didn’t get many chances to spend much time with each other so they made the nest out of what they got that day. Who knows how many days it will be when they’ll be able to hold each other again?

**∞**

Junmyeon hid a smile behind his book as he saw the taller Oh turning around mid way after trying to approach him but had disappeared behind a shelf. He covered his mouth with his hand and giggled. The boy was totally adorbs.

Everyone knew who the Ohs were. He was specifically ordered to stay away from either of them. He didn’t see the shorter Oh, around much. Kyungsoo was a year older and the seniors were busy preparing for their exams. But it always astounded him that he looked nothing like Sehun who was taller than most of the student population. Their differences didn’t stop there. Kyungsoo had a gentle face, round and Sehun was all sides and angles and eyebrows. With the amount of Sehun watching he had done for the past few months he had noticed how the brothers didn’t interact much in the school. Kyungsoo had his own friend circle and Sehun had Park Chanyeol.

When he had encountered Sehun for the first time in the crowd full of kids gawking at him in shock, Sehun had instantly stood out of the bunch. Maybe it was his towering height or maybe it was his broad shoulders or maybe it was his gaze full of wonder directed straight at him or maybe it was the combination of it all...whatever it was, Oh Sehun was permanently in his thoughts from his first day onwards.

Even the boy being an heir to the Oh couldn’t stop Junmyeon from feeling something for the boy. His heart fluttered every time the boy would steal shy glances at him and his stomach would be full of butterflies every time their gazes met.

It was common for them to exchange bashful smiles across the rows of students in the class. Junmyeon took extra time to pack his things after each class so that he could have more of Sehun. Junmyeon made sure to sit on the last bench in their Chemistry lab just so he could watch the boy mess up his experiments and freak out over them.

Their first direct interaction was when Junmyeon wasn’t feeling well one day and had decided to take his carton of chocolate milk outside. He wasn’t in the mood to eat anything today and he sighed, dropping down on the bench under a tree, his head resting on the table in front of him. Cafeteria was loud, at least here he had some peace.

He was sipping his milk and was almost finished with it when another carton was placed before him. He turned around to find a familiar tall figure, dashing inside the building. He had hid his red face in his hands, squealing internally.

Exchange of candy bars became an everyday thing. He would leave Sehun some sour candies while the taller would get him small dark chocolate bars. Junmyeon had most of them stowed them away under his bed in a box because he couldn’t eat them quickly enough.

This has been going on for months and they still hadn’t managed to speak a single word directly to each other till now. Junmyeon had planned to change that today.

He stealthily watched as the black haired head ducked behind the shelf once again and he sighed. He had been waiting for Sehun to approach him and maybe it was time to take the lead. He quickly stood up and rounded the shelf from the other side and tiptoed his way towards the boy who was looking at his, now, empty seat.

“Do you want to die, Oh?” He formed his lips in a straight line as they threatened to split into a smile when the boy jumped at the sound of his voice close behind. His hands turned clammy as he watched Sehun’s cheeks dusting with pink, his ears red.

Sehun rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly then he suddenly looked up and said, “If it’s by your hands, then gladly.” The tilted neck, the eyebrow raise, the small smirk...it all made Junmyeon feel pillowy inside, light and soft and comfortable.

So Junmyeon crossed his arms on his chest and tapped his foot, ready to throw a gauntlet, testing the waters. “Take a picture. It lasts longer.” His own smirk joined the game.

Sehun accepted the challenge readily, his smile wide this time, a little lopsided “How about a number too?"

**∞**

Chanyeol had successfully managed to avoid Sehun’s questions about the Kim boy for weeks.

He had a good reason for it too.

He just didn’t know how to break the news to Sehun because he could see how his best friend was head over heels for the boy already. Trust Sehun to fall for someone who he really shouldn’t. He had tried to drop hints on why Sehun shouldn’t pursue this and Sehun had stopped mentioning the boy to him completely. But Sehun was transparent and Chanyeol knew his friend too well.

He noticed the longing gazes Sehun threw at the boy. What worried him the most was Sehun disappearing somewhere for extended lengths of time during their school hours. When asked of his whereabouts his answers were always suspicious at best.

Sehun wasn’t a good liar and he didn’t know how to go about this issue so they ignored the elephant in the room and pretended everything was fine between them. Asking his boyfriend for help was out of question.

He hated the fact that Sehun had started to hide things from him. But something hurt him the most and it was the fact that he was fully aware, he had pushed Sehun to do exactly that.

He shook his head and entered the library to find Sehun who had missed a couple of classes he had with him today. Sehun had never missed any classes before, especially without any valid reasons.

He passed the rows upon rows of book cabinets peeking through each one of them looking for a specific tall, dark haired boy. His impatience increased and his footsteps stomped louder as he climbed the steps, his search still on.

He passed an alcove tucked in the mythology section on the first floor and it took him a moment to realise that it was occupied by two people. His steps stopped abruptly and he turned around.

There he was, his best friend sitting opposite the object of his infatuation trying to look inconspicuous about his crush and failing. Chanyeol’s patience snapped.

He took a deep breath before walking towards Sehun.

“Sehun.” His whisper was loud and Sehun got startled, the other boy oblivious about their exchange. “Let’s go.” He was angry and Sehun understood it and without any word he grabbed his things and they made their way down the steps and out of the library.

Chanyeol turned back a couple of times to make sure that Sehun was still following him. They rounded around the admin block and Chanyeol suddenly turned around slamming Sehun on the wall catching him off guard.

“I told you to let it go, didn’t I?” His finger poked Sehun’s chest with enough force to make the latter wince. “Why aren’t you listening to me, Sehun? Why can’t you trust me like you always do?” Chanyeol’s shoulders slumped as he continued. “Please Sehun, stop this, please.”

Chanyeol looked at Sehun’s eyes. He was hurt. Chanyeol just wanted to protect his best friend who gently removed his finger from his body.

“How can I trust you Chan when you haven’t told me the reason for it?” Chanyeol ran a hand through his curly hair and sighed.

“You are right, Se.” Chanyeol braced himself for the heartbreak Sehun was going to go through. “He is a Kim.”

“I know that already, silly.” Sehun smiled. “Everyone knows that—”

Chanyeol shook his head intensely and grabbed Sehun’s shoulders. “No, you are not understanding, Se. He is the Kim.” It took a moment for Sehun to comprehend what Chanyeol had said. Chanyeol’s lips turned downwards as the smile on Sehun’s face turned into shock. “There’s your reason, Sehun.”

“How...how do you know?” Sehun’s heart thudded loudly between them and Chanyeol looked at him with pity.

“I saw them. He is the younger sibling, the one no one knows of much.” Chanyeol knew it was a lot to take in. When he saw the brothers eating ice-cream in front of the shop, he was bewildered. It took some digging but he managed to get enough info on the boy. “Do you understand now, Se?”

Sehun’s head nodded and Chanyeol took that as a good sign. Now his best friend will think about it. Sehun would never do anything that would jeopardize his family.

“Promise me that you are going to stop.” His insistence was immediately responded by Sehun.

“I promise.”

With a promise to continue the conversation later and some shoulder bumps both of them made their way towards their respective classes.

Unbeknownst to Chanyeol, Sehun had told the first believable lie of his life out of many to come.

**∞**

Sehun tried his best not to look at the boy sitting two rows away from him. He would catch his eyes wandering to the same target multiple times a day. Every day. For the past two months.

It won't be an exaggeration at all to say that the boy was living rent free in Sehun's mind since the taller had seen him in the hallway for the first time.

Except an elective class, regional languages, all of their classes were together and Sehun had made it his religion to watch the boy every chance he could get.

He wasn't a stalker. He didn't go around following Junmyeon everywhere....well, maybe he did. But he was just admiring from afar. This was his first crush and it was becoming increasingly clear to him that he didn't know how to handle it at all. No one had ever affected him like this boy had. His body unconsciously positioned itself aligning and complimentary to the boy's presence and he didn't even notice it till Chanyeol had pointed it out to him a couple of days ago.

Junmyeon. That was his name. Kim Junmyeon. They boy had become instantly famous after bullying back the school bully. Information about him spread around like wildfire between hushed whispers and crowded corners. How much if it was true though no one knew. One thing he was sure of. They boy's name was Junmyeon. He had confirmed it with Chanyeol the next day. His best friend had reluctantly and very hesitantly nodded and then had clammed up and refused to give Sehun anything else on this boy.

"Dude, you're drooling. Can you just stop?" Chanyeol's whisper startled him out of his fixation and Sehun looked down, clearing his throat. The professor was busy chalking out a diagram on the board and he didn't see Chanyeol hitting Sehun in the back of his head.

"You're going to fail everything at this rate."

"Am not." Sehun muttered but he knew he was lagging behind. He was relying more and more on Chanyeol for assignments and notes. But he would be fine, he reckoned.

The professor excused himself and Chanyeol fully turned to Sehun.

"Why don't you just go and talk?"

Sehun tried to shush his best friend by kicking him in the shin.

"I tried." His pencil made circles, varying in size and shape, on the last page of his notebook. "I couldn't do it." The tip of Sehun's tongue peeked out the corner of his lips and he heard Chanyeol sigh beside him.

"You know what?” Chanyeol broke the eye contact with him and turned towards the board. “I think its better that way.” Chanyeol's casual approach made his eyebrows furrow immediately. Just when he thought Chanyeol was done talking, he added one more sentence that made Sehun’s heart sink for some reason. “I think you should let it go."

Sehun gulped and looked at the professor’s back who continued on, the diagram itself blurry to Sehun’s eyes as his thoughts wandered trying to make sense of Chanyeol’s unsupportive take on this.

**∞**

Junmyeon handed his school bag to their butler waiting in the foyer and grabbed two peach slices shoving them in his mouth.

“Master Jun, please wash your hands first.” The man sighed in exasperation as Junmyeon shook his head and managed to grab one more slice before smiling wide and bowing.

“Thank you, Mr. Choi.” He wiped his hands on his jeans and that earned him another round of scolding. “Where’s hyung?”

“He is in his office.” As he saw Junmyeon making a turn for the said office, he shouted again. “Do not disturb him!” Junmyeon looked at Mr. Choi like he just asked for his first born.

“Who? Me?” He folded his hands. “Never.” The butler just looked at him with a knowing gaze and waved him away. Junmyeon knew Mr. Choi could never stay angry at him. He skipped towards the man and planted a loud kiss on his cheek before skeddadling his way out of the room.

Mr. Choi wasn’t their butler, he was family. Kims’ most trusted man.

After their father got into the accident that restricted him to wheel chair his hyung had to take over their businesses. At merely eighteen, his brother was neck deep in mergers and meetings and Mr. Choi was there with him. He had helped his hyung through every step of the way, following him like a shadow.

But Junmyeon liked to tease his brother that he was Mr. Choi's favourite. Because he was! He was everyone's favourite. His mother said he was the only ray of sunshine in the household and his hyung always got grumpy at that. Being born as the younger sibling had its perks.

He hesitated before knocking on the door of the office. The room belonged to his father before, now it was his hyung's. He wasn't allowed in here. His brother had explained to him why this wasn't a place for him and he agreed. What was a kiddo supposed to do with business anyways? But today was special and he needed to tell his hyung everything about it.

He entered before the command told him to, his steps silent on the rug. The moment he opened the door he heard the familiar voice. Probably his favourite voice in the whole world.

"Hyung!" He didn't disturb his brother. Not at all. He might just have startled him though.

"Junbun, you are back already?" Junmyeon rolled his eyes. It was typical of his hyung to lose track of the time.

"Did you want me to stay there even after the school ended for the day?" He asked as he looked around the office and stopped at a book full of names and numbers. His hyung closed it gently and slipped it in the desk drawer.

"Of course not." His hair was ruffled gently and Junmyeon basked in the affection. His hyung wasn't the kind of person who showed affection but Junmyeon was an exception to that. "The house seemed so quiet without you. I think home schooling was better."

"Oh no no. Hyung, no!" Junmyeon grabbed one of his hyung's hands and shook it in two of his. "Please don't take me back. I don't want to come back." He stomped his foot and his brother chuckled.

"So you had fun today, huh?" The rare smile his brother blessed him with were Junmyeon's favourite moments. He treasured them close to his heart. These smiles reserved just for him were genuine, extra special.

He was proud that only he was able to make Kim Jongin smile like that.

"Hyuuuuung." He whined as Jongin started to lock the drawers and organize stuff scattered on his desk. "It was all so....common. I loved it. I can't believe I met kids my own age."

"Did you make any friends?" The question made Junmyeon frown. He didn't know if he was going to have any friends after today but he was okay with that. He just wanted to experience a normal high school and this was as normal as it was going to get for him.

Junmyeon's dream of attending a high school came to fruition because of his brother. His hyung was the best, really. He never thought his parents would agree but somehow Jongin had managed to convince his parents and arrangements were made to enroll Junmyeon in the public high school.

There were rules and no one knew he was the youngest of the Kims but he was content with what he got. Beggars can't be choosers and all that.

"Not yet but..." He nipped at his lower lip. "I might have made an enemy... I think." He whispered hastily, words tumbling together, hoping his brother won't think of it much.

He was wrong.

"Excuse me?" He flinched as Jongin's voice dropped an octave.

Overprotectiveness was a trait he had gotten familiar with since he could understand what it meant. His family tended to overdo it on that front. His father's accident had changed many things.

"Nothing happened, I swear." He hurriedly explained the bullying incident. He would have preferred to keep it to himself but then his brother would have gotten to know about it from someone else. He always does. And then Kiwoo would be dead in a ditch somewhere. _Damn you, Kiwoo._

"I kneed him in the balls just like you taught me. He cried, hyung."

He watched as his hyung tried to compose himself, the narrowed eyes fixed on him for a moment longer and then the atmosphere was light again. "If he cried then you did good. Junbun." Junmyeon stood straight under the small praise.

If his hyung said it, then it was right.

"Junbun?"

"Hmmm?"

"I was thinking of taking you out for some ice-cream to celebrate your first day of school-" His hyung had him at ice-cream and he squealed, running and hugging the taller quickly.

"Yes please, hyung."

"Wait for me at the gates. I'll be down in ten minutes.”

"Hyung, you are the best!" Junmyeon screamed in his hyung's ear and ran off to change into some casual clothes.

Jongin shook his head and chuckled as he watched his brother throw finger hearts at him before closing the door behind him. At least someone was happy in this house, he thought as he sent a text confirming about the safety of this new ice-cream parlour.

Junmyeon deserved everything. Even if he wasn't able to enjoy much of his life he was going to make sure his brother was going to.

**∞**

The hallway was packed. Sehun tried to move through the throngs of teenagers, careful not to bump anyone by mistake and reached his locker. He heaved a sigh of relief as if he just crossed an ocean full of sharks _...._ oh, maybe that was a roughly accurate analogy too. He chuckled at the thought of teenagers as sharks. They weren’t that far apart really.

It was yellow, his locker. It looked like the sun threw up all over it and he wasn’t particularly fond of that colour. He grimaced as he turned the lock once clockwise and once counter-clockwise. He then proceeded to punch the bottom corner of the locker lightly, successfully opening it. He grimaced some more as he was greeted with a piling mess of useless papers.

Sehun was a neat person...most of the times...for an adolescent boy’s standard at least. There was just something about the school locker that didn’t feel right if it was squeaky clean. So Sehun put minimal effort in organizing it. He ignored the trash piling up and shoved his chemistry books inside and grabbed his algebra textbook. Ah, some pain to start the day, why not? Where he was going to use the polynomials and the sin cos tan shit in his life after high school he didn’t know.

He sighed turning around and shutting the locker door behind him. If only his best friend would hurry up he would like to go settle in his seat. Warming up the wooden chair made it easy to snooze in the class. He was so busy cursing the subject that thrived in his nightmares that he didn’t notice the noisy hallway was silent now. It was still jam packed but hushed. Quiet in a high school filled with hormone raging teenagers meant only one thing: someone was getting bullied.

He turned his head around and it didn’t take him long to locate the source of trouble. Sehun’s height came in handy sometimes, usually he tried to slouch in on himself, trying his best to disappear but today he stood on his tiptoes to see exactly what was going on but to no avail. All he could see was a broad back hiding someone from his view and the students around them looking horrified.

“Oh no. It’s a new kid.” Sehun heard a whisper and the furrow of his eyebrows deepened. A new kid in the middle of the semester was rare. Blue moon rare.

Kiwoo, that little shit, had found a new victim today. Sehun sympathized with the person. No, he was never bullied before, no one would dare to but still violence was something he wasn’t into at all. Yes, his family business had everything to do with it.

He strained his neck again as he heard a thwack and watched people dropping their jaws on the floor. What was happening there?! He wanted to see it too so that he can rub it in Chanyeol’s face for being late.

His confusion increased as he noticed how people backed off a couple of steps and Kiwoo staggered and dropped on his knees revealing a person. A new person.

His school was big but not big enough to not remember faces. And he definitely would have remembered this one.

The person was wearing a baggy grey hoodie, the hood covering most of their face. Their hair was down and Sehun couldn’t take a proper look at their face yet since they were looking down at the squirming Kiwoo.

“Never touch me again.” The voice was low but it travelled through the now rising whispers clearly. Sehun would have guessed the person to be a girl, the slight stature and all but the voice made it clear enough.

He watched as the boy looked up and their eyes met. Everything slowed down for him then, except his heart...that picked up speed, trying to race towards the boy who was blinking his almond shaped eyes now, still staring at him. Sehun didn’t dare breathe because he couldn’t afford it anymore it seemed. He gulped though as the boy’s eyebrows moved in confusion.

The spell was broken as the bell rang and everyone rushed towards their respective classes. Kiwoo hobbled away, cursing.

He watched as the boy got startled at the sudden burst of sound. He chuckled. Cute cute that was so damn cute. His smile widened as he saw the boy getting flustered and running away towards the admin office. Those short legs were fast!

Sehun was still reeling from the incident, eyes fixed where the boy disappeared as someone bumped their shoulder with his.

“What’s up?” Chanyeol’s voice whispered beside him. He turned to see Chanyeol trying to see what he was staring at.

“Did you know about the new guy?” Chanyeol nodded and Sehun’s face broke into a wide smile.

“Can you get me his info?” Chanyeol looked at him for a second, eyebrows touching the curls on his forehead. This is was a first. Sehun asking for someone’s information, usually it was the other way around.

Sehun was glad his best friend didn’t ask any questions and just agreed.

He didn’t know what he would say anyway. How to put the jumble of these intense feelings into words? The curiosity and the novelty of it all. The thrill and the small warmth that filled his chest. The way his fingers shook and his palm were suddenly sweaty, the back of his neck extra warm.

What was this? Crush? Infatuation? Adoration? Affection? Love at first sight? Was the last one even possible?

He didn’t know but he was ready to find out.

He had this feeling creeping up in his chest, this conviction that this new guy was going to change his life.

**∞∞∞**

**Author's Note:**

> • I will start with saying that no character in this story deserves redemption and all of them contributed to the final result. The title ‘Meant to Be’ refers to the vicious fact that no matter how, what, when, where, it all would have ended exactly like this.  
> • The plot pans over a duration of 5 years from start to finish, which puts Junmyeon, Sehun and Chanyeol at the age of 15 years old, Kyungsoo at 18 and Jongin at 19 in the beginning of the storyline. This also means that Junmyeon died at 15 and Sehun suffered for five more years, finally passing away at 20.  
> • The cause of Sehun’s death is implied. Just squint.  
> • No one knew where the youngest Kim disappeared to. No one dared to ask or investigate. Junmyeon vanished into Jongin’s shadow just like always. The only person who remembered him was not coherent enough to inform anyone about his life story.  
> • Chanyeol left the town permanently after Sehun’s demise. He was not strong enough to pretend his way for the rest of his life.  
> • The business relationship between Kims-Ohs became better in the loosest sense. Ohs never knew that their son was, murdered by Jongin. The elder Kim took it as the victory he was looking for all along.  
> • Kyungsoo got the company. His father stayed in power.  
> • Mr. Choi stayed with the Kims. He was bound to the family by his oath and he couldn’t break it even for Junmyeon.  
> • Jongin justified Junmyeon’s death as a noble sacrifice. Kyungsoo, on the other hand, blamed the wrong brother for Sehun’s condition.  
> • Kims grieved their son behind closed doors because mentioning Junmyeon was forbidden in the household. Ohs didn’t care enough to grieve theirs.  
> • Finally, I contemplated every way to make this work as frustrating as possible for the reader. So, yes, the set-up was deliberate. 
> 
> Readers, thank you for reading. Mods, I admire your patience. Beta, you’ve been a sweetheart.


End file.
